What is Research? (Talk I)
Uday Khedker
(www.cse.iitb.ac.in/˜uday)
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
IITB Research I: Outline 1/65
Outline
• Why research?
• What is research?
• Where do good ideas come from?
• The process of research
• Richard Hamming on research (“You and Your Research”)
• Conclusions
IITB Research I: Outline
Disclaimers
• General concepts
• No “cook book” or “how to do it yourself”
IITB Research I: Outline 2/65
Disclaimers
• General concepts
• No “cook book” or “how to do it yourself”
◮ Attempt to explicate what most researchers implicitly believe and may not articulate
◮ Views expressed through examples
IITB Research I: Outline
Disclaimers
• General concepts
• No “cook book” or “how to do it yourself”
◮ Attempt to explicate what most researchers implicitly believe and may not articulate
◮ Views expressed through examples
◮ Individual’s perspective rather than an organization’s perspective
IITB Research I: Outline 2/65
Disclaimers
• General concepts
• No “cook book” or “how to do it yourself”
◮ Attempt to explicate what most researchers implicitly believe and may not articulate
◮ Views expressed through examples
◮ Individual’s perspective rather than an organization’s perspective
◮ Personal reflections and confessions
Part 2
Why Research?
IITB Research I: Why Research? 3/65
Alice’s Adventures
IITB
Alice’s Adventures
Through the Looking Glass Author: Lewis Carroll Illustration: John Tenniel
IITB Research I: Why Research? 3/65
Alice’s Adventures
Through the Looking Glass Author: Lewis Carroll Illustration: John Tenniel
‘Well, in our country,’ said Alice, still panting a little, ‘you’d generally get to somewhere else – if you ran very fast for a long time, as we’ve been doing.’
IITB
Surviving in a World of Rapidly Developing Technologies
Need to run twice as fast to even remain in the same place . . .
• Hard (Technical) Skills
• Soft Skills
(Leadership, Motivation, Emotional Maturity, Communication etc.)
IITB Research I: Why Research? 4/65
Surviving in a World of Rapidly Developing Technologies
Need to run twice as fast to even remain in the same place . . .
• Hard (Technical) Skills
• Soft Skills
(Leadership, Motivation, Emotional Maturity, Communication etc.)
• Ability to acquire new skills
IITB
Surviving in a World of Rapidly Developing Technologies
Need to run twice as fast to even remain in the same place . . .
• Hard (Technical) Skills
• Soft Skills
(Leadership, Motivation, Emotional Maturity, Communication etc.)
• Ability to acquire new skills
Quick self-learning is enhanced significantly by doing research
IITB Research I: Why Research? 5/65
Why Do People Do Research?
• Is this the main reason why people do research?
IITB
Why Do People Do Research?
• Is this the main reason why people do research?
• We’ll hopefully have a better answer by the end of this talk
Part 3
In Search of Research
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
What is Research?
• Carving Statues out of stones
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 6/65
What is Research?
• Carving Statues out of stones
• Methods and tools
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
What is Research?
• Carving Statues out of stones
• Methods and tools
• Attempt to improve the methods and tools leads to
◮ Better statues
◮ Better methods and tools
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 6/65
What is Research?
• Carving Statues out of stones
• Methods and tools
• Attempt to improve the methods and tools leads to
◮ Better statues
◮ Better methods and tools
◮ Better sculptors
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
In Search of Research?
• Observed Phenomena with no explanations
◮ Puzzles and mysteries
• Lacunae in the known theory and/or practice
◮ The need of a better understanding/method
◮ Innovative ideas
• Innovative ideas waiting for new applications
◮ Discovery of new puzzles, mysteries and/or lacunae
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 8/65
The Essence of Research
• Is building a device, research?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
The Essence of Research
new
• Is building a device, research?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 8/65
The Essence of Research
• Is building a device, research?
• Is writing a software, research?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
The Essence of Research
new
• Is building a device, research?
• Is writing a software, research?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 8/65
The Essence of Research
• Is building a device, research?
• Is writing a software, research?
• Is repairing a device or debugging a software, research?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
The Essence of Research
• Is building a device, research?
• Is writing a software, research?
• Is repairing a device or debugging a software, research?
• Is drawing a conclusion from a lot of data, research?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 8/65
The Essence of Research
• Is building a device, research?
• Is writing a software, research?
• Is repairing a device or debugging a software, research?
• Is drawing a conclusion from a lot of data, research?
• Is proving a theorem, research?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
The Essence of Research
• Is building a device, research?
• Is writing a software, research?
• Is repairing a device or debugging a software, research?
• Is drawing a conclusion from a lot of data, research?
• Is proving a theorem, research?
• Is formulating a theorem, research?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 8/65
The Essence of Research
• Is building a device, research?
• Is writing a software, research?
• Is repairing a device or debugging a software, research?
• Is drawing a conclusion from a lot of data, research?
• Is proving a theorem, research?
• Is formulating a theorem, research?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
• Significance
◮ Beauty
◮ Utility
◮ Enhancement of knowledge
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
• Significance
◮ Beauty
◮ Utility
◮ Enhancement of knowledge
Creation of significant &
innovative ideas
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
• Significance
◮ Beauty
◮ Utility
◮ Enhancement of knowledge
Creation of significant &
innovative ideas
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
• Significance
◮ Beauty
◮ Utility
◮ Enhancement of knowledge
Creation of significant &
innovative ideas
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
• Significance
◮ Beauty
◮ Utility
◮ Enhancement of knowledge Creation of
significant &
innovative ideas
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
• Significance
◮ Beauty
◮ Utility
◮ Enhancement of knowledge
Creation of significant &
innovative ideas
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
• Significance
◮ Beauty
◮ Utility
◮ Enhancement of knowledge
Creation of significant &
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
• Significance
◮ Beauty
◮ Utility
◮ Enhancement of knowledge
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
• Significance
◮ Beauty
◮ Utility
◮ Enhancement of knowledge Creation of
significant &
innovative ideas
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
• Significance
◮ Beauty
◮ Utility
◮ Enhancement of knowledge Creation of significant &
innovative ideas
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
• Significance
◮ Beauty
◮ Utility
◮ Enhancement of knowledge
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
• Significance
◮ Beauty
◮ Utility
◮ Enhancement of knowledge Creation of
significant &
innovative ideas
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 9/65
The Essence of Research
• Research is a game of creating innovative ideas that are significant
• Creation of ideas vs. execution of ideas Reflection vs. action
• Innovation
• Significance
◮ Beauty
◮ Utility
◮ Enhancement of knowledge
Creation of significant &
innovative ideas Creation of
significant &
innovative ideas
Creation of significant &
innovative ideas
Creation of significant &
innovative ideas
Creation of significant &
innovative ideas
Creation of significant &
Creation of significant &
innovative ideas
Creation of significant &
innovative ideas Creation of
significant &
innovative ideas
Creation of significant &
innovative
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
What is an Idea?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 10/65
What is an Idea?
• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context
• The context often decides its significance
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
What is an Idea?
• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context
• The context often decides its significance
• An idea is like a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle
◮ Discovery of an idea completes at least some part of the puzzle
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 10/65
What is an Idea?
• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context
• The context often decides its significance
• An idea is like a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle
◮ Discovery of an idea completes at least some part of the puzzle Discovery, Invention, or Creation?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
What is an Idea?
• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context
• The context often decides its significance
• An idea is like a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle
◮ Discovery of an idea completes at least some part of the puzzle Discovery, Invention, or Creation?
◮ An idea is a connection between other ideas
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 10/65
What is an Idea?
• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context
• The context often decides its significance
• An idea is like a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle
◮ Discovery of an idea completes at least some part of the puzzle Discovery, Invention, or Creation?
◮ An idea is a connection between other ideas
◮ The more unlikely the connection, the more beautiful the idea is
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
What is an Idea?
• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context
• The context often decides its significance
• An idea is like a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle
◮ Discovery of an idea completes at least some part of the puzzle Discovery, Invention, or Creation?
◮ An idea is a connection between other ideas
◮ The more unlikely the connection, the more beautiful the idea is
• Sometimes, we know what the puzzle would be like before getting the idea Some other times the picture emerges as we start discovering the ideas
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 10/65
What is an Idea?
• An idea is not an isolated thing in a vacuum, it has a context
• The context often decides its significance
• An idea is like a missing piece in a jigsaw puzzle
◮ Discovery of an idea completes at least some part of the puzzle Discovery, Invention, or Creation?
◮ An idea is a connection between other ideas
◮ The more unlikely the connection, the more beautiful the idea is
• Sometimes, we know what the puzzle would be like before getting the idea Some other times the picture emerges as we start discovering the ideas
Important disclaimer
Neither this talk nor any of my works has been sponsored by a certain mobile service provider!
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Ingredients of Good Research
• Innovation
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 11/65
Ingredients of Good Research
• Innovation
• Aesthetics
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Ingredients of Good Research
• Innovation
• Aesthetics
• Other important aspects :
◮ Completeness
◮ Rigour
◮ Empirical demonstration
◮ Effective communication
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 12/65
Innovation
• The sphere of knowledge
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Innovation
• The sphere of knowledge
• Initial general learning
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 12/65
Innovation
• The sphere of knowledge
• Initial general learning
• Learning increases with time
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Innovation
• The sphere of knowledge
• Initial general learning
• Learning increases with time
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 12/65
Innovation
• The sphere of knowledge
• Initial general learning
• Learning increases with time
• Begin focussing and specializing
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Innovation
• The sphere of knowledge
• Initial general learning
• Learning increases with time
• Begin focussing and specializing
• Specialize more and more until you reach the unknown
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 12/65
Innovation
• The sphere of knowledge
• Initial general learning
• Learning increases with time
• Begin focussing and specializing
• Specialize more and more until you reach the unknown
• Try to push the boundary
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Innovation
• The sphere of knowledge
• Initial general learning
• Learning increases with time
• Begin focussing and specializing
• Specialize more and more until you reach the unknown
• Try to push the boundary
• If you keep trying try hard enough, you may succeed
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 12/65
Innovation
• Your view of knowledge
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Innovation
• The big picture
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 13/65
What Qualifies as Innovation?
• Everything that is new need not be innovative
◮ Example: Finding sum of two obscure 100 digit numbers
• Creation without creativity does not qualify as innovation
• The novelty quotient of an innovation depends on
◮ how non-obvious the result seemed before you established it
◮ how obvious the result appears in hindsight
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
What Qualifies as Innovation?
• Everything that is new need not be innovative
◮ Example: Finding sum of two obscure 100 digit numbers
• Creation without creativity does not qualify as innovation
• The novelty quotient of an innovation depends on
◮ how non-obvious the result seemed before you established it
◮ how obvious the result appears in hindsight
Innovation in research should enrich the set of “first principles”
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 14/65
Aesthetics
• Total is greater than the sum of the parts
“Scientists study science not because it is useful, but because it is beautiful. Here I do not talk about the beauty of appearance or beauty of qualities . . . Here I talk about thatprofound beauty which comes from a harmonious order of parts. . . ”
– Henry Poincare
• Example : Painting
Proportion of colours Vs. their arrangements
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Aesthetics and Beauty of an Idea
• What proportion of the box does the pink triangle occupy?
• Would the result hold foranytriangle in a box?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 16/65
Aesthetics and Beauty of an Idea
• Idea: Draw a vertical line to divide the rectangle in two parts
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Aesthetics and Beauty of an Idea
• Idea: Draw a vertical line to divide the rectangle in two parts
• The slanting lines now divide the two boxes in two equal parts
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 16/65
Aesthetics and Beauty of an Idea
• Idea: Draw a vertical line to divide the rectangle in two parts
• The slanting lines now divide the two boxes in two equal parts
• Exactly as much area outside of the triangle as there is inside
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Aesthetics and Beauty of an Idea
b h
• Idea: Draw a vertical line to divide the rectangle in two parts
• The slanting lines now divide the two boxes in two equal parts
• Exactly as much area outside of the triangle as there is inside
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 17/65
Food for Thought
What about this pink triangle?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Beauty of an Idea
• Ideas talk back to us
When we fix one idea, it fixes some other ideas
• Beauty lies in creating simple ideas that
◮ bring in unexpected implications
◮ relate the seemingly unrelated things
◮ illuminate and reveal much more than anticipated
• Total is greater than the sum of the parts
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 19/65
Another Example of Beauty of an Idea
• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Another Example of Beauty of an Idea
• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?
180◦
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 19/65
Another Example of Beauty of an Idea
• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?
180◦ 360◦
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Another Example of Beauty of an Idea
• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?
180◦ 360◦
540◦
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 19/65
Another Example of Beauty of an Idea
• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?
180◦ 360◦
540◦
720◦
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Another Example of Beauty of an Idea
• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?
◮ Consider annsided polygon
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 20/65
Another Example of Beauty of an Idea
• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?
◮ Consider annsided polygon
◮ Choose an arbitrary inner point and connect it to all vertices
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Another Example of Beauty of an Idea
• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?
◮ Consider annsided polygon
◮ Choose an arbitrary inner point and connect it to all vertices
◮ We haventriangles
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 20/65
Another Example of Beauty of an Idea
• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?
◮ Consider annsided polygon
◮ Choose an arbitrary inner point and connect it to all vertices
◮ We haventriangles
◮ Sum of all angles =n·180◦
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
Another Example of Beauty of an Idea
• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?
◮ Consider annsided polygon
◮ Choose an arbitrary inner point and connect it to all vertices
◮ We haventriangles
◮ Sum of all angles =n·180◦
◮ Exclude the sum of the angles incident on the chosen point
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 20/65
Another Example of Beauty of an Idea
• Question: What is the sum of all internal angles of a polygon?
◮ Consider annsided polygon
◮ Choose an arbitrary inner point and connect it to all vertices
◮ We haventriangles
◮ Sum of all angles =n·180◦
◮ Exclude the sum of the angles incident on the chosen point
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
On the Role of Rigour in an Idea
• Rigour removes imprecision and adds concreteness
• Makes an idea immune to personal interpretation
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 21/65
On the Role of Rigour in an Idea
• Rigour removes imprecision and adds concreteness
• Makes an idea immune to personal interpretation
• Example: Divide 6 by 2
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
On the Role of Rigour in an Idea
• Rigour removes imprecision and adds concreteness
• Makes an idea immune to personal interpretation
• Example: Divide 6 by 2
“Divide 6 into 2 parts and tell me the size of each part”
IITB Research I: In Search of Research 21/65
On the Role of Rigour in an Idea
• Rigour removes imprecision and adds concreteness
• Makes an idea immune to personal interpretation
• Example: Divide 6 by 2
“Divide 6 into 2 parts and tell me the size of each part”
• Divide 6 by 12
“Divide 6 into half part and tell me the size”
IITB Research I: In Search of Research
On the Role of Rigour in an Idea
• Rigour removes imprecision and adds concreteness
• Makes an idea immune to personal interpretation
• Example: Divide 6 by 2
“Divide 6 into 2 parts and tell me the size of each part”
• Divide 6 by 12
“Divide 6 into half part and tell me the size”
• More rigorous explanations:
◮ “Divide 6 into parts of size 2 and tell me the number of parts”
1
Part 4
Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Based on
Where Good Ideas Come From. Steven Johnson. Penguin Books, 2010
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
What Makes Good Ideas Possible?
We structure our answer along the following aspects:
• Thebasis of good ideas.
• Thedomainof good ideas.
• Theheuristics of exploring the domain of good ideas.
• Thefacilitatorsof good ideas.
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
available technologies, resources, ideas
Basis
• Basis:
• Domain:
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
available technologies, resources, ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 23/65
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
◮ Boundaries define the limit
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
The Basis and the Domain of Good Ideas
Domain Basis
• Basis: Available resources with
◮ mature prerequisite ideas/technologies
◮ flexible connections
◮ free flow of ideas
• Domain: Adjacent Possible
◮ Boundaries define the limit
◮ Boundaries grow as we explore
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 24/65
Adjacent Possible
• First Order Combinations (Stuart Kaufman, 1995)
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Adjacent Possible
• First Order Combinations (Stuart Kaufman, 1995)
• Boundaries grow as we explore them
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 24/65
Adjacent Possible
• First Order Combinations (Stuart Kaufman, 1995)
• Boundaries grow as we explore them
◮ Find a new door and open it
◮ May lead to a yet another door that needs to be opened
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Adjacent Possible
• First Order Combinations (Stuart Kaufman, 1995)
• Boundaries grow as we explore them
◮ Find a new door and open it
◮ May lead to a yet another door that needs to be opened Car headlights provide only a short lookahead in the night Yet we can cover long distances over time . . .
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 25/65
Some Heuristics for Exploring the Adjacent Possible
• Seeking duality: Observing similarity in apparently unrelated things
• Seeking symmetry: Observing balance or patterned self-similarity
• Generalization: Removing specificities to cover more situations
• Refinement: Distilling to essesnce by removing irrelevant parts
• Extensions: Trying to stretch an idea in all possible directions
• Adaptation: Using an idea in an unrelated context
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Adjacent Vs. Non-Adjacent
Charles Babbage’s two revolutionary designs
• The Analytical Engine was far ahead of its time
◮ All basic ideas were in place in 1837
◮ The design was far too complex for the available technology (mechanical gears and switches)
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 26/65
Adjacent Vs. Non-Adjacent
Charles Babbage’s two revolutionary designs
• The Analytical Engine was far ahead of its time
◮ All basic ideas were in place in 1837
◮ The design was far too complex for the available technology (mechanical gears and switches)
• The Difference Engine was well within the bounds of adjacent possible
◮ 15 ton contraption with 25000 mechanical parts
◮ Calculating polynomial functions for creating trigonometric tables for navigation
After many improvements, the idea actually transcended the adjacent
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Creation of FORTRAN as an Example of Adjacent Possible
• Prevailing wisdom circa 1950s : Expressiveness Vs. Efficiency conflict
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 27/65
Creation of FORTRAN as an Example of Adjacent Possible
• Prevailing wisdom circa 1950s : Expressiveness Vs. Efficiency conflict
• John Backus’s main observations
◮ Economic problem. Imbalence between the programming costs and computer costs
◮ Technical difficulty. Inefficiency of translation of an expressive specification
◮ Main obstacle. Clumsy treatment of program loops and array address calculations
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Creation of FORTRAN as an Example of Adjacent Possible
• Prevailing wisdom circa 1950s : Expressiveness Vs. Efficiency conflict
• John Backus’s main observations
◮ Economic problem. Imbalence between the programming costs and computer costs
◮ Technical difficulty. Inefficiency of translation of an expressive specification
◮ Main obstacle. Clumsy treatment of program loops and array address calculations
• Backus was theright personat the right timeat the right place
◮ He had the foresight to recognize that efficient language implementation was well within theadjacent possible
◮ He was Bernard Shaw’s proverbial “unreasonable person”
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 27/65
Creation of FORTRAN as an Example of Adjacent Possible
• Prevailing wisdom circa 1950s : Expressiveness Vs. Efficiency conflict
• John Backus’s main observations
◮ Economic problem. Imbalence between the programming costs and computer costs
◮ Technical difficulty. Inefficiency of translation of an expressive specification
◮ Main obstacle. Clumsy treatment of program loops and array address calculations
• Backus was theright personat the right timeat the right place
◮ He had the foresight to recognize that efficient language implementation was well within theadjacent possible
◮ He was Bernard Shaw’s proverbial “unreasonable person”
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Adaptation
• Using an idea in a completely unrelated context leading to cross fertilization of ideas
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 28/65
Adaptation
• Using an idea in a completely unrelated context leading to cross fertilization of ideas
• Adaptation Example 1:
Screw press for wine making used by Gutenberg for printing press
◮ Everything else was ready: the movable type face using lead fonts, the ink, the paper,
◮ the types however were hand pressed and the process was slow and not suitable for mass production
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Adaptation
• Using an idea in a completely unrelated context leading to cross fertilization of ideas
• Adaptation Example 1:
Screw press for wine making used by Gutenberg for printing press
◮ Everything else was ready: the movable type face using lead fonts, the ink, the paper,
◮ the types however were hand pressed and the process was slow and not suitable for mass production
• Adaptation Example 2:
French weaver Jacquard’s punch card system adopted by Charles Babbage
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 29/65
More Adaptation Examples
• Adaptation Example 3:
Guier and Weiffenbach’s Sputnik orbit tracing system developed at Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University (Oct 1957)
◮ The inverse idea used for deciding the trajectory of missile fired from a submarine (discovering the exact location of a submarine using a satellite with known orbit)
◮ The modern day GPS (Global positioning system)
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
More Adaptation Examples
• Adaptation Example 3:
Guier and Weiffenbach’s Sputnik orbit tracing system developed at Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University (Oct 1957)
◮ The inverse idea used for deciding the trajectory of missile fired from a submarine (discovering the exact location of a submarine using a satellite with known orbit)
◮ The modern day GPS (Global positioning system)
• Adaptation Example 4:
Shannon’s Master’s thesis: A Symbolic Analysis of Relay and Switching Circuits, MIT, 1937
◮ Digital circuit design was an engineering art with no clear science or
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 30/65
The Facilitators of Discovery of Good Ideas
• The obvious facilitators
◮ Curiosity
◮ Experimentation
◮ Observation
◮ Discussion
• Some non-obvious facilitators
◮ Slow Hunch
◮ Serendipity
◮ Error
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Slow Hunch
• Every Eureka! moment is preceded by a hunch that has lingered on in the mind for a long time beforemutating into something useful
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 31/65
Slow Hunch
• Every Eureka! moment is preceded by a hunch that has lingered on in the mind for a long time beforemutating into something useful
• Evolution of an idea is not a monotonic progress
◮ It’s more like a blind man walking with a stick
◮ Half guesses, some of which are discarded, some are refined further
◮ Some times discarded guesses are revisited
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Slow Hunch
• Every Eureka! moment is preceded by a hunch that has lingered on in the mind for a long time beforemutating into something useful
• Evolution of an idea is not a monotonic progress
◮ It’s more like a blind man walking with a stick
◮ Half guesses, some of which are discarded, some are refined further
◮ Some times discarded guesses are revisited
• Example: Darwin’s theory of natural selection (Oct 1838)
“favourable variations would be preserved and unfavourable would be destroyed”’
◮ His autobiography suggests he realized this on 28 Sept 1838 while
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 32/65
Serendipity
Word coined by English novelist Horace Walpole (1754), inspired by Persian fairy tale “Three Princes of Serendip”
• A happy coincidence, a chance meeting, unexpected connections made by neurons in the dreams
(No wonder coffee table discussions in conferences are more productive than formal presentations)
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Serendipity
Word coined by English novelist Horace Walpole (1754), inspired by Persian fairy tale “Three Princes of Serendip”
• A happy coincidence, a chance meeting, unexpected connections made by neurons in the dreams
(No wonder coffee table discussions in conferences are more productive than formal presentations)
• Dream Example 1:
Friedrich Kekule’s discovery of the molecular structure of Benzene as a prefect ring of carbon with hydrogen atoms jutting out
Dreamt of a Greek mythological snake Ouroboros eating its own tail
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 32/65
Serendipity
Word coined by English novelist Horace Walpole (1754), inspired by Persian fairy tale “Three Princes of Serendip”
• A happy coincidence, a chance meeting, unexpected connections made by neurons in the dreams
(No wonder coffee table discussions in conferences are more productive than formal presentations)
• Dream Example 1:
Friedrich Kekule’s discovery of the molecular structure of Benzene as a prefect ring of carbon with hydrogen atoms jutting out
Dreamt of a Greek mythological snake Ouroboros eating its own tail
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Error
• Error often jolts you out of your comfortable assumptions
• Being right keeps you in place, being wrong forces you to explore
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From? 33/65
Error
• Error often jolts you out of your comfortable assumptions
• Being right keeps you in place, being wrong forces you to explore
• Error Example 1: Greatbach’s pacemaker
◮ Original goal was to create a devise to record heart beat
◮ A radio like receiver to catch signal’s transmitted by heart
◮ A wrong resistor connected to oscillator started simulating heart beat
IITB Research I: Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Error
• Error often jolts you out of your comfortable assumptions
• Being right keeps you in place, being wrong forces you to explore
• Error Example 1: Greatbach’s pacemaker
◮ Original goal was to create a devise to record heart beat
◮ A radio like receiver to catch signal’s transmitted by heart
◮ A wrong resistor connected to oscillator started simulating heart beat
• Error Example 2: De Forest’s electrodes in a gas filled glass tubes
◮ Original experiment involved spark gap transmitter for telegraphy
◮ A twisted wire middle electrode resulted in a good amplifier
Part 5
The Process of Research
IITB Research I: The Process of Research
The Spirit of Inquiry (1)
Very few of us know,
how much we have to know, in order to know,
how little we know
IITB Research I: The Process of Research 34/65
The Spirit of Inquiry (1)
Very few of us know,
how much we have to know, in order to know,
how little we know
IITB Research I: The Process of Research
The Spirit of Inquiry (1)
Very few of us know,
how much we have to know, in order to know,
how little we know
IITB Research I: The Process of Research 34/65
The Spirit of Inquiry (1)
Very few of us know,
how much we have to know, in order to know,
how little we know
• Relative stupidity Vs.
Productive stupidity
IITB Research I: The Process of Research
The Spirit of Inquiry (1)
Very few of us know,
how much we have to know, in order to know,
how little we know
• Relative stupidity Vs.
Productive stupidity
• We are taught to feel bad about relative stupidity
IITB Research I: The Process of Research 34/65
The Spirit of Inquiry (1)
Very few of us know,
how much we have to know, in order to know,
how little we know
• Relative stupidity Vs.
Productive stupidity
• We are taught to feel bad about relative stupidity
• Productive stupidity:
IITB Research I: The Process of Research
The Spirit of Inquiry (1)
Very few of us know,
how much we have to know, in order to know,
how little we know
• Relative stupidity Vs.
Productive stupidity
• We are taught to feel bad about relative stupidity
• Productive stupidity:
◮ No research is possible unless we are willing to feel vulnerable and stupid
IITB Research I: The Process of Research 34/65
The Spirit of Inquiry (1)
Very few of us know,
how much we have to know, in order to know,
how little we know
• Relative stupidity Vs.
Productive stupidity
• We are taught to feel bad about relative stupidity
• Productive stupidity:
◮ No research is possible unless we are willing to feel vulnerable and stupid
◮ If we don’t feel stupid, we are not trying enough!
IITB Research I: The Process of Research
The Spirit of Inquiry (1)
Very few of us know,
how much we have to know, in order to know,
how little we know
• Relative stupidity Vs.
Productive stupidity
• We are taught to feel bad about relative stupidity
• Productive stupidity:
◮ No research is possible unless we are willing to feel vulnerable and stupid
◮ If we don’t feel stupid, we are not trying enough!
It’s important to know what we know and what we don’t and be comfortable
IITB Research I: The Process of Research 35/65
The Spirit of Inquiry (2)
• Is asking questions disrepectful?
• Is independent thinking disrepectful?
• Does respect require obedience of thoughts?
IITB Research I: The Process of Research
The Spirit of Inquiry (2)
• Is asking questions disrepectful?
• Is independent thinking disrepectful?
• Does respect require obedience of thoughts?
We end up mixing
• criticism of an idea with criticism of the person
IITB Research I: The Process of Research 35/65
The Spirit of Inquiry (2)
• Is asking questions disrepectful?
• Is independent thinking disrepectful?
• Does respect require obedience of thoughts?
We end up mixing
• criticism of an idea with criticism of the person
• appreciation of an idea with appreciation of the person
IITB Research I: The Process of Research
Breadth Vs. Depth
A B C D E
IITB Research I: The Process of Research 36/65
Breadth Vs. Depth
A B C D E
C
IITB Research I: The Process of Research
Breadth Vs. Depth
A B C D E
D
IITB Research I: The Process of Research 36/65
Breadth Vs. Depth
A B C D E
A
IITB Research I: The Process of Research
Breadth Vs. Depth
A B C D E
A
IITB Research I: The Process of Research 36/65
Breadth Vs. Depth
A B C D E
C
IITB Research I: The Process of Research
Breadth Vs. Depth
A B C D E
C
IITB Research I: The Process of Research 36/65
Breadth Vs. Depth
A B C D E
C
IITB Research I: The Process of Research
Breadth Vs. Depth
A B C D E
C